Rethinking Everything Conference 2010

 This was our first year attending RE and I have to say it was fabulous!  The kids wanted to live there!  It was held at the American Airlines Training Center in Fort Worth.  Since it was our first year we decided to drive up there on Thursday to get a feel for the place.  The kids decided to take a dip in the pool.

 While there we helped set up the Kid Village.

 Seth wandering around.

  Who doesn't love playing in shaving cream!

 Sewing Room

Seth and a group of kids created their own Harry Potter Club.  It wasn't on the schedule so they bounced around from room to room recreating the Hogwarts Experience! 

Here they are on The Hogwarts Express!

 One of their classes.

 New friends!

Learning some Judo

 Kaia at the Kids Bazaar selling her crochet jewelry.

Kaia is Awesome!

 Beauty!

 At the AATC there was an airplane cabin for training, they let the kids play in it and they had a blast recreating the in flight experience.  I have to say with these two passengers they needed some extra flight attendants!

 Practicing their CPR skills!

 Seth found a new use for the oxygen masks!

The view while eating breakfast!

 Kids playing a game called Gaga.

Here are the basics.

There are tables that are laying down to make a circle.

 1. You can only hit the ball with your hands.
2. If it hits the knee or lower you are out.
3. After you hit the ball it has to touch something before you can hit it again.(somebody or the wall)

 Kaia soaking up some morning sun!

 Taking apart electronics.

 Watermelon seed spitting.

 Kaia learning some face painting skills from Susan.

 Kaia and her first customer!

How would you live if you were free?

 Lobby and check in.

A Little Less = A Lot More

Feels like forever since I have seen my kids faces.  They are always in something electronic (They take after me there).  So today starts a week long journey for our family. We explained to them that we didn't have all the things they did growing up and that we were still happy. They just can't imagine not having all this stuff.

We are not going to extremes with it just a taste of what it was like. 

Things we are trying out this week.  These things are not set in stone, we are just making a conscience effort to find something else we could be doing instead!

DVR and NETFLIX
We are watching live TV, I have to say I hate commercials and I don't think my kids have ever HAD to sit through them.

COMPUTER
They are still able to get on them if needed to look up something but they are not spending all day on them.

HAND HELD GAMES AND IPODS
The DS is easy since they never play it but since I got my new Droid Incredible they have been using my Ipod Touch a lot.

Comments so far this morning.
Kaia "What did we do to deserve a week?"
         "Did you have DVD's when you were a kid?'

Sewing

I love to sew! I got hooked when Kaia was about 4.  It didn't start with clothing though, it started with bows and the price people wanted for them. While I was searching the web for instructions on bow making I and ran across some boutique clothing but it was way out of my price range.  So I decided to teach myself to sew!  I have to say I made some really cute outfits! You can check them out here!

This is the first outfit that I made.

...and this is one my favorites!

Seth and Kaia's Ice Skating Performances Feburary 2010

Seth and his partner Savannah skating their "Jolly Holiday" spotlight performance .This performance won them the Gold Medal at the ISI Love to Skate Feb. 2010. 

Coach:  Caroline Baker

Kaia skating to "Don't Rain on my Parade" (Glee Cast Version).  She won a Bronze Medal at the ISI Love to Skate Feb. 2010. 

Coach:  Meghan Haynie

Level:  Freestyle 1

Christmas in Kansas

My First Knitting Project!

I have been wanting some fingerless gloves for a while now.  I asked a few friends if they could knit some for me but no one had the time, so I finally broke down and bought "No Rules Knitting at the Teen Knit Cafe".

It was so easy to understand and after searching and modifying a pattern I ended up finishing my first pair in less than four hours.  Here is Kaia modeling them for me!